(15) Feel for You

(15) Feel for You

     Riley stalked through the doorway after Saint, and scanned the room with a withering glare. That was completely wasted as Saint was nowhere to be seen. She let out a huff, and was on the move again. She stomped her way towards the other door in the room, assuming he had fled further into the house.

Just before she touched the doorknob, she heard her name from the dark nook flanked by massive built ins to her right. She yelped, and it took a full minute before her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the corner. But even before she could see him fully, she recognized Saint’s familiar hunched frame.

     He didn’t say anything, just held up the book for Riley to see. It was filled with notes of what they had found in the house so far.

     Saint’s voice was rough as he spoke, “Carter gave it to me. If I think I am going to die I am supposed to drop it out a window for her to find.”

     Saint gave Riley a pained look. In the past she would have buckled unquestioningly. She would have offered him the comfort and support he needed to feel okay about his choices. But she didn’t. She just sat down next to him on the floor.

     “What do you want to do. Overthrow the entire system because you don’t like your sister?”

Saint tensed up. His pencil bent nearly to snapping in the grip of his hand. “We should be doing our job in the archives. Supporting Carter. And the commoners should be in here doing their jobs.”

“What jobs? Getting thrown around? If anybody was going to come into this stupid house, I’m glad it was us. It should be Carter too.” They sat in silence for a moment before Riley got up. She pointed to the book Carter had given Saint, “Good luck with that.”

Riley walked back towards the kitchen. Back towards some kind of sanity. But she wasn’t able to because she nearly crashed into someone coming in through the door from the kitchen. Not just anyone. A middle-aged woman wearing a perfectly coordinated sweater set, down to a matching pair of socks. And she was already in the middle of a dressing down.
     “So much yelling, so much fighting! It just won’t do.”

She stopped in the doorway, turned back towards the kitchen and called out, “Darling girl! Come let’s set the table now!”

     Riley stood struck. The woman turned back to her.

“Tea always helps calm the nerves, don’t you think?”

     “Me too.” Riley responded distantly.

     She wasn’t paying attention. A little girl had come in through the door, and then back out again, clearly playing a little game. The woman in the sweater set, presumably the little girl’s mother, was delighted by the little girl’s swishing and swaying.

The little girl was maybe five or six in an immaculate poofy dress, and of course, a matching bow in her hair. She went back and forth a few more times before her mother chided her sweetly. “Time to set the table now!”

     The little girl laughed, and then ran through the room out the opposite door.

     The lady in the sweater set said, “Yes, tea always helps.” And then followed the little girl through the door.

Riley pointed after them, and said “Ghost lady.” And then without time for a thought, moved to follow after.

Saint put a hand on her arm. He looked at her startled. “Riley. Ghost lady.”

Riley looked at him with a sneer. “Come on now. Don’t you think Carter would want to know about the ghost lady living in her town?”

     “You know what Riley. Why don’t you just become a peasant messenger in some far away town. Would that make you happy? To be far away from our family and our name?”

     “Kicking me out of mom’s funeral wasn’t enough, now you have to threaten to kick me out of town, too?”

     “Because you made mom’s funeral about yourself. Just like you making this about yourself! Family is supposed to be a give and take.”

     Every word was a shot to Riley’s heart. She started to cry, but didn’t acknowledge it.

“I tried to be included in mom’s funeral. I am not allowed in the archives now that Queen Carter is in charge so I am trying to do anything I can to do something about the house destroying our town. I am only ever trying to be included.”

     Ghost mother appeared back through the doorway to the dining room. “That is absolutely enough arguing, I’ll thank you so much! Come on, now!”

     Riley wiped a tear from her cheek and gave the ghost lady a nod. “Thank you, I would love some tea.”